¤¤¤
00:00:00.66\00:00:09.64
¤¤¤
00:00:12.84\00:00:22.82
¤¤¤
00:00:22.85\00:00:32.59
Jean Ross: Hello
again, friends, and welcome
00:00:35.60\00:00:37.73
to "Sabbath School Study
Hour" here at the Granite Bay
00:00:37.77\00:00:40.10
Seventh Day Adventist Church
in Sacramento, California.
00:00:40.14\00:00:43.10
I'd like to welcome
those who are joining us
00:00:43.14\00:00:45.14
across the country
and around the world.
00:00:45.17\00:00:47.31
I know we have a number of
online members, part of our
00:00:47.34\00:00:49.98
church family here
but not in person yet.
00:00:50.01\00:00:52.41
They participate through
the marvels of modern media
00:00:52.45\00:00:56.62
to be a part of our
church family and they tune in
00:00:56.65\00:00:59.15
every week to participate
in "Sabbath School Study Hour,"
00:00:59.19\00:01:02.29
so very warm welcome to you
and also to our regular members
00:01:02.32\00:01:05.73
that are here.
00:01:05.76\00:01:07.50
And I know we do
have some visitors
00:01:07.56\00:01:09.23
who are joining us today.
00:01:09.26\00:01:10.97
Glad that you are studying
with us a very important lesson
00:01:11.00\00:01:13.74
dealing with the
two Old Testament books,
00:01:13.77\00:01:15.90
Ezra and Nehemiah.
00:01:15.94\00:01:17.77
But before we get to our study
today, we do want to let our
00:01:17.81\00:01:19.87
friends know who are joining
us online and also those who are
00:01:19.91\00:01:22.81
watching on the various
networks, if you don't have
00:01:22.84\00:01:25.21
a copy of the study, you can
download the lesson for today
00:01:25.25\00:01:29.78
at lesson.aftv.org.
00:01:29.82\00:01:33.46
Again, that's lesson.aftv.org.
00:01:33.49\00:01:36.59
We also have a free offer
that we'd like to make available
00:01:36.62\00:01:39.06
to those who are
viewing the program.
00:01:39.09\00:01:41.70
It is a book entitled
"Hidden Eyes And Closed Ears."
00:01:41.73\00:01:45.93
This is our
free offer for today.
00:01:45.97\00:01:48.27
The number to call
is... or if you'd like
00:01:48.30\00:01:53.14
you can download a
free copy of this book.
00:01:53.17\00:01:57.88
Just text the code SH036 to the
number 40544, and you'll be able
00:01:57.91\00:02:06.05
to read the book
"Hidden Eyes And Closed Ears."
00:02:06.09\00:02:08.96
That is our
free offer for today.
00:02:08.99\00:02:11.53
But before we get to our lesson
study, we'd like to invite our
00:02:11.56\00:02:14.73
song leaders to come
and they'll be leading us
00:02:14.73\00:02:17.47
in our Sabbath
school song this morning.
00:02:17.50\00:02:20.80
male: It's a privilege to
sing to our Lord and Savior.
00:02:20.84\00:02:23.20
We're going to sing a
song this morning, number 528,
00:02:23.24\00:02:26.44
"A Shelter In The Time Of Storm"
and that shelter is Jesus.
00:02:26.47\00:02:30.65
We're going to sing
all four verses number 528,
00:02:30.68\00:02:33.58
"A Shelter In
The Time Of Storm."
00:02:33.62\00:02:36.79
¤¤¤
00:02:36.82\00:02:40.96
male: Thank you for singing.
00:05:15.28\00:05:18.68
Jean: Let's bow
our heads for prayer.
00:05:18.71\00:05:20.65
Dear Father in heaven, we thank
you once again that we're able
00:05:20.68\00:05:22.88
to gather together in your house
on this beautiful Sabbath that
00:05:22.92\00:05:25.59
you've given us to open up your
Word and study about this great
00:05:25.62\00:05:28.89
covenant that you
have made with us,
00:05:28.92\00:05:31.59
first mentioned way back in
the beginning the Bible repeated
00:05:31.63\00:05:35.53
to your people Israel throughout
the many years and fulfilled
00:05:35.56\00:05:38.53
in the coming of Jesus.
00:05:38.57\00:05:40.07
So, we do ask you bless
us in our study time today,
00:05:40.10\00:05:42.97
for we ask this in
Jesus's name, amen.
00:05:43.00\00:05:46.17
Our study today is
entitled God And The Covenant,
00:05:46.21\00:05:48.81
and Pastor Doug will be bringing
us our study this morning.
00:05:48.84\00:05:52.41
Doug Batchelor:
Good morning, everybody.
00:05:53.92\00:05:59.12
I'm enjoying these
studies in Ezra and Nehemiah
00:05:59.15\00:06:03.16
talking about this renewal.
00:06:03.19\00:06:08.23
You know, keep in mind
that this story is taking place
00:06:08.26\00:06:11.97
at a time when the nation
of Israel had been conquered.
00:06:12.00\00:06:16.24
The northern kingdom
been conquered by Syria,
00:06:16.27\00:06:19.04
the southern kingdom,
Judah been conquered by Babylon.
00:06:19.07\00:06:22.51
The people had been
carried away, just the poorest
00:06:22.54\00:06:25.25
were left to kind of
take care of the vineyards
00:06:25.28\00:06:28.55
and the produce of the land.
00:06:28.58\00:06:30.95
Jerusalem was burned.
The temple was burned.
00:06:30.99\00:06:32.75
The palaces, the
nice houses were burned.
00:06:32.79\00:06:35.49
Nehemiah even says
the stones were burned,
00:06:35.52\00:06:38.79
and they had to start over.
00:06:38.83\00:06:41.46
And you know, I was
just thinking this morning,
00:06:41.50\00:06:44.53
Karen and I were talking about
the paradise fire, which is
00:06:44.57\00:06:46.77
about a year ago now.
00:06:46.80\00:06:49.34
And they're still in just
the infancy of trying to rebuild
00:06:49.37\00:06:52.84
their lives up there.
00:06:52.87\00:06:54.88
Fire totally swept
through a community and took out
00:06:54.91\00:06:57.68
the infrastructure,
and many homes were burned,
00:06:57.71\00:06:59.81
some were left.
00:06:59.85\00:07:01.22
But starting from
scratch can be very difficult,
00:07:01.25\00:07:05.15
but starting from scratch
can present an opportunity.
00:07:05.19\00:07:12.19
Nehemiah and Ezra recognized the
whole nation had been carried
00:07:12.23\00:07:17.13
off because of apostasy.
00:07:17.17\00:07:20.04
The Lord in His mercy made
it possible for us to come back.
00:07:20.07\00:07:24.17
We're rebuilding the
walls, rebuilding the streets,
00:07:24.21\00:07:29.04
rebuilding the temple.
00:07:29.08\00:07:31.51
If we rebuild all these things
and we don't rebuild our faith,
00:07:31.55\00:07:33.98
what good is it, right?
00:07:34.02\00:07:37.82
Now, this is very close to home
for us because here at Granite
00:07:37.85\00:07:41.79
Bay, we're building the church.
00:07:41.82\00:07:44.79
Amazing Facts just
moved into some new offices,
00:07:44.83\00:07:48.20
and I find myself
haunted a little bit.
00:07:48.23\00:07:52.40
It's an expensive,
timely process to build.
00:07:52.43\00:07:56.54
And I think, what
good is it to build it all
00:07:56.57\00:07:59.91
if we don't have
the spiritual aspect?
00:07:59.94\00:08:02.91
For example, I think it's
great to have Christian Schools,
00:08:02.94\00:08:07.85
and Seventh Day Adventist
Church has Christian schools
00:08:07.88\00:08:12.29
all over the world.
00:08:12.32\00:08:14.29
I think, if I'm not mistaken,
we're second only to the
00:08:14.32\00:08:16.39
Catholics as far as
Christian Schools worldwide.
00:08:16.42\00:08:21.16
And you need buildings, you need
teachers, you need structure,
00:08:21.20\00:08:24.77
but if you have all that if they
lose the spiritual foundation,
00:08:24.80\00:08:29.80
what do you have?
00:08:29.84\00:08:32.21
Education is important,
academics are important,
00:08:32.24\00:08:34.68
safe environment is
important, but is our goal
00:08:34.71\00:08:36.98
to have educated sinners?
00:08:37.01\00:08:41.18
I think the
health work is important.
00:08:41.22\00:08:44.59
We've got hospitals all over
the world, and it's a wonderful
00:08:44.62\00:08:48.09
thing that way of hospitals.
00:08:48.12\00:08:51.76
Not too many atheists build
hospitals, did you know that?
00:08:51.79\00:08:55.56
Have you ever seen
Atheist Central Hospital
00:08:55.60\00:08:59.47
or the First Atheist Hospital.
00:08:59.50\00:09:02.60
They don't get First Baptist
Methodist, you know, Christians
00:09:02.64\00:09:05.84
build hospitals because it's
part--but if you get a hospital
00:09:05.87\00:09:11.01
and it's a Christian hospital
and they lose the Christian
00:09:11.05\00:09:13.72
component, it's great
to help people heal people,
00:09:13.75\00:09:17.09
but you're only healing them
for another 20 years, 30 years.
00:09:17.12\00:09:21.72
Even if it's you heal
them for 90 years, what good
00:09:21.76\00:09:24.49
is it if they lose on eternity?
00:09:24.53\00:09:28.66
You're just
making healthier sinners.
00:09:28.70\00:09:32.27
And I think it's good to build
churches, but if the church just
00:09:32.30\00:09:35.80
becomes a social
function, what good is it?
00:09:35.84\00:09:40.74
And so, when we're building
I've been thinking, you know,
00:09:40.78\00:09:46.98
Amazing Facts has a heritage
of being faithful to the Word.
00:09:47.02\00:09:53.19
And now don't get worried,
I feel great but the day
00:09:53.22\00:09:56.66
may come if the Lord
tarries where someone else
00:09:56.69\00:09:59.19
will take over and my fear
would be that Amazing Facts
00:09:59.23\00:10:02.40
would drift, that the
church would drift from--
00:10:02.43\00:10:07.64
I mean, we want to go upwards.
00:10:07.67\00:10:09.67
We don't want to go
backwards like the culture.
00:10:09.70\00:10:11.84
So, it's one thing to build but
if you don't have covenants of
00:10:11.87\00:10:14.54
renewing the covenants and
saying, "This is who we are,
00:10:14.58\00:10:17.31
this is what we
believe, this is our mission."
00:10:17.35\00:10:20.02
And you've got to keep that
before the people that the Bible
00:10:20.05\00:10:22.48
is our foundation,
that doesn't change.
00:10:22.52\00:10:25.62
And so, I think it's
just important to renew
00:10:25.65\00:10:28.09
that this is what's happening.
00:10:28.12\00:10:30.29
So, I kind of I
empathize with Ezra and Nehemiah
00:10:30.33\00:10:33.80
what they were thinking.
00:10:33.83\00:10:35.80
So, when you get
through chapter 10, by the way,
00:10:35.83\00:10:37.97
we're in lesson 8.
00:10:38.00\00:10:39.83
It's God And The Covenant,
and when you get to chapter 10
00:10:39.87\00:10:42.17
of Nehemiah, our mission today,
the whole lesson today is really
00:10:42.20\00:10:44.51
based on Nehemiah
chapter 10, and there's quite
00:10:44.54\00:10:47.94
a few verses there.
00:10:47.98\00:10:50.05
He's wanting to
reestablish the covenant.
00:10:50.08\00:10:52.61
He could see how
quickly they were drifting back
00:10:52.65\00:10:55.58
into the old ways.
00:10:55.62\00:10:57.49
They got into trouble.
00:10:57.52\00:10:59.19
God brought them out of
Egypt, and they were going
00:10:59.22\00:11:01.36
into the Promised Land.
00:11:01.39\00:11:03.09
He said, "Now don't
be marrying them pagans."
00:11:03.12\00:11:06.93
That's my rough translation.
00:11:06.96\00:11:09.13
He said, "You go
marrying them pagans," he said,
00:11:09.16\00:11:11.70
you marry your sons, their
daughters and their daughters,
00:11:11.73\00:11:14.47
your sons and you
start doing that--"
00:11:14.50\00:11:16.94
I said that the same way twice.
00:11:16.97\00:11:19.21
"You start doing that,
and pretty soon they're going
00:11:19.24\00:11:20.88
to draw your hearts
away after their gods."
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.48
Had that happen to others?
00:11:23.51\00:11:25.91
Did it happen to Solomon?
00:11:25.95\00:11:28.68
Solomon loved many women,
and they drew his heart away.
00:11:28.72\00:11:31.75
Did it happen to Samson?
00:11:31.79\00:11:34.56
It happened in many cases.
00:11:34.59\00:11:37.03
Now, it had
began to happen again.
00:11:37.06\00:11:40.83
Here, they had already
come back from Babylon.
00:11:40.86\00:11:42.90
They're trying to be faithful
back in the days of Zerubbabel
00:11:42.93\00:11:45.77
and Joshua, the people came back
but you realize between that
00:11:45.80\00:11:49.87
time and Ezra and Nehemiah,
between the first group
00:11:49.90\00:11:53.64
that came back during the time
of Cyrus and Ezra and Nehemiah,
00:11:53.68\00:11:56.21
you got 75 years that go by.
00:11:56.24\00:11:58.51
You know, the culture starts
to work on you in 75 years.
00:11:58.55\00:12:02.48
And they started to compromise,
they were trading with the
00:12:02.52\00:12:05.02
nations around them, and
they were making friendships,
00:12:05.05\00:12:08.42
and little by little, their sons
saw their daughters and said,
00:12:08.46\00:12:12.23
"Hey, they're not bad looking."
00:12:12.26\00:12:14.46
You know why the flood came?
00:12:14.50\00:12:16.93
The sons of God saw the
daughters of men that they were
00:12:16.97\00:12:21.24
fair, and they took
them wives of all they chose.
00:12:21.27\00:12:25.34
And after the sons of
God saw the daughters of man,
00:12:25.37\00:12:28.41
says wickedness was great
in the earth and the thoughts
00:12:28.44\00:12:31.01
of men's hearts were
only evil continually.
00:12:31.05\00:12:33.58
Sons of God were the descendants
of Seth who worshiped Jehovah,
00:12:33.62\00:12:37.32
began to look at the daughters
of Cain, and they intermarried.
00:12:37.35\00:12:41.76
And then the
wickedness spread everywhere.
00:12:41.79\00:12:45.49
It all starts with a
family unit has to be holy.
00:12:45.53\00:12:48.76
Anyway, that's a
long introduction.
00:12:48.80\00:12:50.73
We have a memory verse.
00:12:50.77\00:12:52.60
Memory verse is
a little strange.
00:12:52.63\00:12:54.54
It's part of
two different verses
00:12:54.57\00:12:56.34
and two different chapters.
00:12:56.37\00:12:58.07
I know why they did
that, but it is unusual.
00:12:58.11\00:12:59.87
So, if you want to read
it and get it right with me,
00:12:59.91\00:13:01.88
you got to do it kind
of out of your lesson.
00:13:01.91\00:13:03.61
It's from the New King
James Version, it's Nehemiah 9,
00:13:03.65\00:13:06.41
verse 38, and
Nehemiah 10, verse 39B.
00:13:06.45\00:13:11.79
How many times have you
had a memory verse like that?
00:13:11.82\00:13:14.62
So, we're going to
try and do it together.
00:13:14.66\00:13:16.39
You got your lesson quarterly?
00:13:16.42\00:13:18.36
Let's try that.
00:13:18.39\00:13:20.06
"And because of all this, We
make a sure covenant and write
00:13:20.10\00:13:24.63
it; Our leaders, our Levites,
and our priests seal it.
00:13:24.67\00:13:28.64
We will not neglect
the house of our God."
00:13:28.67\00:13:32.37
And so, this is talking
about them renewing a covenant
00:13:32.41\00:13:35.91
in our study today.
00:13:35.94\00:13:38.25
So, our mission is to get
through Nehemiah chapter 10,
00:13:38.28\00:13:45.29
verse 1 through 39.
00:13:45.32\00:13:47.52
So, go into your Bibles,
please, in Nehemiah chapter 10.
00:13:47.56\00:13:49.86
I want you to notice
something right away.
00:13:49.89\00:13:53.90
It says here in
chapter 10, verse 1,
00:13:53.93\00:13:56.97
"Now those who place
their seal on the document,"
00:13:57.00\00:14:00.67
and here they renewed
this covenant document.
00:14:00.70\00:14:03.74
It's telling us who
put their seal to it.
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.14
"Were: Nehemiah the governor,
the son of Hacaliah, and
00:14:06.17\00:14:10.48
Zedekiah, Seraiah,
Azariah, Jeremiah, Pashhur,"
00:14:10.51\00:14:15.95
and it starts to go
through a long list.
00:14:15.98\00:14:18.82
I'm not going to read
them all because it would be
00:14:18.85\00:14:21.02
embarrassing for both of us.
00:14:21.06\00:14:23.46
One, because I'd
probably say some wrong.
00:14:23.49\00:14:25.83
Two, because you wouldn't
know that I said them wrong.
00:14:25.86\00:14:29.73
So, then it's got a long
list of the Hebrew names here.
00:14:29.76\00:14:33.60
Only a couple of
them stand out to us.
00:14:33.64\00:14:35.70
Of course,
Nehemiah we recognize.
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.87
As you're going through the
list, it also talks about you've
00:14:37.91\00:14:42.54
got Seraiah, and he's mentioned
also in Nehemiah 12, verse 1.
00:14:42.58\00:14:49.75
So, "Now these are the priests
and the Levites who came up with
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.69
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah,
00:14:52.72\00:14:57.29
Ezra," so it's talking about
some of the priests that came,
00:14:57.33\00:15:00.63
but this is years earlier so
we don't know if this fellow was
00:15:00.66\00:15:03.20
very young when he came, or
he's very old at this point.
00:15:03.23\00:15:07.20
And then also you read in
Nehemiah chapter 10, verse 14,
00:15:07.24\00:15:10.97
another one of the names
that just is of note, it says,
00:15:11.01\00:15:14.41
"The leaders of the
people: Parosh," and Parosh
00:15:14.44\00:15:18.91
is mentioned in
Ezra chapter 2, verse 3.
00:15:18.95\00:15:21.35
It says, "The people of
Parosh, two thousand one hundred
00:15:21.38\00:15:23.89
and seventy-two."
00:15:23.92\00:15:26.02
So, a lot of these names, they
kind of drift into obscurity,
00:15:26.05\00:15:28.36
except they're in four groups.
00:15:28.39\00:15:30.53
The names that you find
listed and, you know, your most
00:15:30.56\00:15:33.73
of the chapters are names.
00:15:33.76\00:15:36.10
Matter of fact, I don't know if
you've noticed this, but these
00:15:36.13\00:15:38.67
are some of the
shortest verses in the Bible.
00:15:38.70\00:15:41.20
You got three names in a verse.
00:15:41.24\00:15:44.01
It's not like the genealogy
of Jesus in Matthew chapter 1.
00:15:44.04\00:15:48.48
You know, it's you just got
here you go first 5, " Harim,
00:15:48.51\00:15:53.05
Meremoth, Obadiah," that's
one verse, and it goes on.
00:15:53.08\00:15:56.89
So, you're getting
through a lot of verses.
00:15:56.92\00:15:59.29
By the time you get
through the list of names,
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.52
you're already in
verse 27 with this list.
00:16:01.56\00:16:04.03
Now, there's four categories
of people that are listed here.
00:16:04.06\00:16:08.03
You've got firstly, you've got
the governors, such as Nehemiah.
00:16:08.06\00:16:15.37
And then secondly,
you've got the priests.
00:16:15.40\00:16:18.91
Thirdly, you have the
Levites that are listed.
00:16:18.94\00:16:21.31
Fourthly, the
chiefs of the people.
00:16:21.34\00:16:24.18
And one
interesting name is missing.
00:16:24.21\00:16:27.52
Who notices a very prominent
name that should be in this list
00:16:27.55\00:16:30.72
is not in this list?
00:16:30.75\00:16:33.32
Ezra, someone did their lesson.
00:16:33.36\00:16:36.62
Ezra's name's not here.
00:16:36.66\00:16:38.86
Now, this is interesting because
Ezra's name is in the chapters
00:16:38.89\00:16:42.80
before, Ezra's name
is in the chapters after.
00:16:42.83\00:16:47.20
Why Ezra's name does not
appear being a prominent priest,
00:16:47.24\00:16:51.11
we can only surmise.
00:16:51.14\00:16:53.21
There was one time when all this
was transpiring, he had made
00:16:53.24\00:16:56.08
a trip back to
Persia, and he may have gone--
00:16:56.11\00:17:01.12
this may have been
done during the time
00:17:01.15\00:17:03.25
he was going back to Persia.
00:17:03.28\00:17:05.02
He may have been sick.
00:17:05.05\00:17:06.89
It happens in that day.
00:17:06.92\00:17:08.92
So, we don't know but it's just
it's something of an enigma.
00:17:08.96\00:17:11.23
Ezra is through the Book
of Nehemiah, but he's not here
00:17:11.26\00:17:13.63
when the covenant's listed.
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.20
And it could be Ezra is the
scribe, he is removing himself
00:17:16.23\00:17:23.44
because he is the scribe
writing it all and that also
00:17:23.47\00:17:27.08
is not totally unheard of.
00:17:27.11\00:17:29.48
Any of you ever
read the gospel of John?
00:17:29.51\00:17:31.51
I hope that's a
rhetorical question.
00:17:31.55\00:17:33.21
You know, in the gospel of John,
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.85
John always refers to
this disciple whom Jesus loved.
00:17:35.88\00:17:39.05
Who is he talking about?
00:17:39.09\00:17:41.02
Himself, but you
notice he never names himself.
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.03
And so, they were sometimes very
self-effacing, and they recused
00:17:44.06\00:17:48.80
themselves from the story.
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.97
Nehemiah being the scribe,
he may have written it all down
00:17:51.00\00:17:53.07
and said, "Well, I'll be
biased if I say I did it, too,
00:17:53.10\00:17:56.44
because I'm the one writing it."
00:17:56.47\00:17:58.34
I don't know, but he's
not in the list so thought
00:17:58.37\00:18:00.58
that was interesting.
00:18:00.61\00:18:02.44
Now, hopefully it makes
sense that when you're making
00:18:02.48\00:18:04.61
a covenant like this,
it lists, you know, 27,
00:18:04.65\00:18:08.32
30 different leaders that
are signing this covenant.
00:18:08.35\00:18:13.62
Why not everybody?
00:18:13.66\00:18:15.86
How many people were
in the nation at the time?
00:18:15.89\00:18:19.46
It could have
had 100,000 people,
00:18:19.49\00:18:22.13
we don't know how
many Israelites were there.
00:18:22.16\00:18:24.90
It was comparatively
small to when they were taken
00:18:24.93\00:18:27.60
captive by Babylon.
00:18:27.64\00:18:30.61
When America had
our Constitution,
00:18:30.64\00:18:33.61
who signed the
Declaration of Independence?
00:18:33.64\00:18:37.68
We call them the
Founding Fathers.
00:18:37.71\00:18:40.15
Would it have been practical
for every American to sign it?
00:18:40.18\00:18:43.42
No, so we have
representative leaders
00:18:43.45\00:18:46.65
that sign in our behalf.
00:18:46.69\00:18:49.02
And so, when they signed the
covenant, they were signing for
00:18:49.06\00:18:52.46
the nation 'cause they were
representative leaders through
00:18:52.49\00:18:55.86
the priests, and
through the government leader,
00:18:55.90\00:18:58.30
and so forth.
00:18:58.33\00:19:00.24
And so, they're
speaking for all the people.
00:19:00.27\00:19:02.24
You remember in the previous
chapters, all the people, men,
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.21
women, children, families
all came to hear the reading
00:19:04.24\00:19:06.14
of the Word.
00:19:06.17\00:19:08.04
They verbally made a commitment
to follow the covenant, now
00:19:08.08\00:19:10.51
they're having an official
signing document, the leaders
00:19:10.55\00:19:13.28
sign for the people
who have verbally said,
00:19:13.31\00:19:16.05
"We want to renew the covenant."
00:19:16.08\00:19:18.72
Now, it's very important
to have the covenants renewed.
00:19:18.75\00:19:25.73
You get several
covenants in history.
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.53
The author of the lesson
lists seven, I was looking,
00:19:28.56\00:19:31.47
I thought there
might even be more.
00:19:31.50\00:19:34.90
You've got the
covenant that Joshua renews
00:19:34.94\00:19:37.17
in chapter 24 of Joshua.
00:19:37.21\00:19:40.61
First covenant, you've got
the covenant of Adam in Eden.
00:19:40.64\00:19:45.35
That's Genesis 1 through 3.
00:19:45.38\00:19:48.05
Then you've got a
covenant with Noah.
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.52
Maybe I ought to
stop, what's a covenant?
00:19:50.55\00:19:54.82
It's a contract.
It's an agreement.
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.49
Oh, there's all kinds
of different covenants.
00:19:57.53\00:19:59.59
Anyone here get
married? That's a covenant.
00:19:59.63\00:20:03.70
It's a legal, it's
usually declared publicly.
00:20:03.73\00:20:07.67
There's witnesses.
00:20:07.70\00:20:10.01
I made the mistake once, I
married a brother and a sister,
00:20:10.04\00:20:13.74
double wedding back in
Tennessee, not to the same,
00:20:13.78\00:20:18.25
not each other.
00:20:18.28\00:20:20.48
No, that happened back
in the days of Adam and Eve,
00:20:20.52\00:20:22.68
but it doesn't
happen now, that we know of.
00:20:22.72\00:20:24.92
Anyway, but yeah, I married
them to two different people
00:20:24.95\00:20:27.62
and started heading to the
airport and then they called me
00:20:27.66\00:20:31.66
and they said, "You
didn't sign the certificates."
00:20:31.69\00:20:36.13
And I said, "Well,
you better tell them.
00:20:36.16\00:20:38.23
I'm about to board the
plane, and they can't go
00:20:38.27\00:20:39.97
on the honeymoon."
00:20:40.00\00:20:42.17
Fortunately, there was another
pastor there who participated
00:20:42.20\00:20:45.21
in the service but to
make it legal, he had to sign.
00:20:45.24\00:20:48.78
And so, it's a contract.
00:20:48.81\00:20:51.05
If you buy a car.
00:20:51.08\00:20:53.18
Have any of you
ever bought a new car?
00:20:53.21\00:20:55.35
There's like 16 pages that
you-- you think you're buying
00:20:55.38\00:20:58.49
a country for all the pages
that you sign in buying a car.
00:20:58.52\00:21:04.49
It's a covenant
that you're making.
00:21:04.53\00:21:06.80
And they try to, you know,
protect themselves in that.
00:21:06.83\00:21:10.53
If you buy a house,
also, it's got just as many.
00:21:10.57\00:21:13.67
And so, we got these
covenants that we sign
00:21:13.70\00:21:15.84
that have agreements
and that are very important.
00:21:15.87\00:21:20.04
So, here's the
covenant of Noah, Genesis 9,
00:21:20.08\00:21:23.24
let's look at this together.
00:21:23.28\00:21:25.81
"It shall be when I
bring a cloud on the earth,"
00:21:25.85\00:21:28.28
this is after the flood.
00:21:28.32\00:21:30.25
They've been rescued.
00:21:30.29\00:21:32.12
"It shall be, when I bring a
cloud over the earth, that the
00:21:32.15\00:21:34.29
rainbow shall be seen in
the cloud; and I will remember
00:21:34.32\00:21:36.62
My covenant which is
between Me and you and every
00:21:36.66\00:21:39.43
living creature of all flesh;
the waters shall never again
00:21:39.46\00:21:42.96
become a flood to
destroy all flesh.
00:21:43.00\00:21:45.43
The rainbow
shall be in the cloud,
00:21:45.47\00:21:47.40
and I will look
on it to remember
00:21:47.44\00:21:49.24
the everlasting covenant."
00:21:49.27\00:21:50.97
So, keep in mind God
here has something physical
00:21:51.01\00:21:54.24
to help Him remember.
00:21:54.28\00:21:56.64
Are there examples in the Bible
where you have an object that--
00:21:56.68\00:22:01.88
or something
that's not a person,
00:22:01.92\00:22:03.92
that is a sign to
remember a covenant?
00:22:03.95\00:22:06.62
When we have the Lord's
Supper, the bread is not alive.
00:22:06.65\00:22:09.96
It does not think.
00:22:09.99\00:22:12.06
The grape juice does
not have a mind of its own,
00:22:12.09\00:22:14.20
but these emblems are
reminders of a covenant.
00:22:14.23\00:22:16.83
Here it says the
rainbow is an emblem.
00:22:16.87\00:22:19.50
Now, I want you to--
let me finish this one,
00:22:19.53\00:22:21.87
I'll go to the other one here.
00:22:21.90\00:22:24.07
He said, "It's a reminder, the
rainbow shall be in the cloud,
00:22:24.11\00:22:27.41
I'll look on it and remember
the everlasting covenant
00:22:27.44\00:22:29.74
between God and
every living creature."
00:22:29.78\00:22:31.98
It's not between the
Jews or even with humans,
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.68
but every creature, of all
flesh that is on the earth.
00:22:34.72\00:22:37.95
"God said to Noah, 'This
is the sign of the covenant
00:22:37.99\00:22:40.69
which I have established
between Me and all flesh
00:22:40.72\00:22:43.56
that is on the earth.'"
00:22:43.59\00:22:45.63
"I will not destroy the world
again, with a global flood."
00:22:45.66\00:22:49.03
There is going to be different
kind of flood when Jesus comes
00:22:49.06\00:22:52.43
but it's not water.
00:22:52.47\00:22:54.67
Peter tells us what is
it next time, it's fire.
00:22:54.70\00:22:57.77
It's going to
be a flood of fire.
00:22:57.81\00:23:00.41
So, then you got
the third covenant,
00:23:00.44\00:23:02.64
it's the Abrahamic Covenant.
00:23:02.68\00:23:04.95
God made that covenant
with Abraham in Genesis 12,
00:23:04.98\00:23:07.18
verse 1 to 3.
00:23:07.22\00:23:09.75
Then there's a fourth covenant,
it's the Mosaic Covenant,
00:23:09.78\00:23:12.05
you find in Exodus 19 to 24.
00:23:12.09\00:23:14.29
It's contained in
the Ten Commandments
00:23:14.32\00:23:16.86
and it's repeated in
the Book of Deuteronomy.
00:23:16.89\00:23:19.16
Joshua renews that
covenant in Joshua Chapter 24.
00:23:19.19\00:23:22.00
So, now if you go to Joshua
24, this is in our lesson,
00:23:22.03\00:23:25.47
I want you to notice something.
00:23:25.50\00:23:27.47
I was talking about
emblems of the covenant.
00:23:27.50\00:23:29.64
So, this covenant is made after
they fight a tremendous battle
00:23:29.67\00:23:33.01
with five kings.
00:23:33.04\00:23:35.41
I don't know if you
remember the whole story,
00:23:35.44\00:23:37.65
but the Gibeonites tricked
them into not destroying them.
00:23:37.68\00:23:41.72
Instead, they took them on
as slaves, a nation of slaves,
00:23:41.75\00:23:45.35
to serve the temple.
00:23:45.39\00:23:47.92
And then the other kings
found that the Gibeonites
00:23:47.96\00:23:50.46
made peace with Israel.
00:23:50.49\00:23:52.43
They went to attack Gibeah.
00:23:52.46\00:23:54.20
Gibeah sends to Joshua and says,
00:23:54.23\00:23:56.10
"We're your
servants now, save us."
00:23:56.13\00:23:58.03
So, all of Israel
has to gather to fight
00:23:58.07\00:24:00.24
against these five kingdoms.
00:24:00.27\00:24:01.84
And so, it's a major victory.
00:24:01.87\00:24:03.57
They win the battle.
00:24:03.61\00:24:05.37
Joshua prays,
the sun stands still.
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.01
It's an incredible story.
00:24:07.04\00:24:08.78
They won this major battle.
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.38
It was one of the
biggest battles that they fought
00:24:10.41\00:24:12.35
in the Promised Land
to take the Promised Land.
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.32
And after that, God
brings them to Shechem,
00:24:14.35\00:24:17.92
which is the very
middle of the Promised Land.
00:24:17.95\00:24:20.02
It's between Mount
Gerizim and Mount, is it Nebo?
00:24:20.06\00:24:27.36
No, it starts with an E.
00:24:27.40\00:24:30.30
Come on, help me.
00:24:30.33\00:24:33.57
Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim,
and it was in the middle
00:24:33.60\00:24:37.91
of the land of Israel.
00:24:37.94\00:24:39.94
By the way, that's where
Jacob's well was where Jesus
00:24:39.97\00:24:42.18
met the woman, and He
reveals He's the Messiah.
00:24:42.21\00:24:45.21
So, Joshua, the other
Jesus, makes the covenant there.
00:24:45.25\00:24:49.25
And I'm not going to read the
whole chapter to you, but this
00:24:49.28\00:24:51.99
is the place where he says--he
reviews how God has saved them.
00:24:52.02\00:24:55.29
He brought them out of Egypt.
00:24:55.32\00:24:57.46
Their fathers want to serve
pagan gods on the other side
00:24:57.49\00:24:59.69
of the Euphrates.
00:24:59.73\00:25:01.86
And he says in
verse 15, Joshua 24:15,
00:25:01.90\00:25:04.70
"And if it seems evil
to you to serve the Lord,
00:25:04.73\00:25:07.50
choose yourselves this
day who you will serve."
00:25:07.54\00:25:10.14
Does this sound familiar?
00:25:10.17\00:25:12.37
"Whether the gods which
your fathers served that were
00:25:12.41\00:25:14.78
on the other side of the River,
or the gods of the Amorites,
00:25:14.81\00:25:18.31
in whose land you dwell."
00:25:18.35\00:25:20.25
He said,
"There's plenty of gods,
00:25:20.28\00:25:22.15
you let me know
which god you serve."
00:25:22.18\00:25:24.15
What did Elijah
say on Mount Carmel?
00:25:24.19\00:25:25.49
How long will you
halt between two decisions?
00:25:25.52\00:25:27.39
Make a decision, stick to it.
00:25:27.42\00:25:29.56
If Jehovah's God, serve Him.
00:25:29.59\00:25:31.56
If Baal's God, serve him.
00:25:31.59\00:25:34.30
God gets--you can tell God
gets annoyed with lukewarmness.
00:25:34.30\00:25:39.73
People want to, you
know, blow sunshine, and heat
00:25:39.77\00:25:43.77
and cold at the same time.
00:25:43.81\00:25:46.27
And he says,
"Look, make up your mind.
00:25:46.31\00:25:48.78
You say if you're
going to serve me, serve me.
00:25:48.81\00:25:52.15
Do you want to serve the other
god, but for me and my house,
00:25:52.18\00:25:54.52
we will serve the Lord."
00:25:54.55\00:25:56.58
The people answered and
said, "Far be it from us that we
00:25:56.62\00:25:59.15
should forsake the
Lord to serve other gods.
00:25:59.19\00:26:02.36
For the Lord our God, He is the
one who brought up our fathers
00:26:02.39\00:26:04.96
out of the land of Egypt
and we will serve the Lord.
00:26:04.99\00:26:07.60
He is our God."
00:26:07.60\00:26:10.07
And then finally,
you go to verse 25,
00:26:10.10\00:26:12.90
Joshua made a covenant.
00:26:12.93\00:26:15.00
This is Joshua 24, verse
25, "Joshua made a covenant
00:26:15.04\00:26:17.47
with the people that day,
and made for them a statute
00:26:17.51\00:26:20.78
and an ordinance in Shechem.
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.04
Then Joshua wrote these words
in the Book of the Law of God.
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.35
And he took a large stone, and
set it up there under the oak."
00:26:26.38\00:26:30.29
I don't think that
oak is still there.
00:26:30.32\00:26:32.39
I don't know if
the stone is there.
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.79
That was by the
sanctuary the tabernacle
00:26:34.82\00:26:37.06
had been pitched nearby.
00:26:37.09\00:26:39.03
"Behold, this stone
shall be a witness to us,
00:26:39.06\00:26:41.43
for it has heard all the words
of the Lord which He spoke.
00:26:41.46\00:26:45.27
It shall therefore
be a witness to you."
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.67
Now, is the stone alive?
00:26:47.70\00:26:49.60
Does a stone really see or hear?
00:26:49.64\00:26:52.24
But he's just saying, "Look,
we did all this in the presence
00:26:52.27\00:26:56.28
of this stone.
00:26:56.31\00:26:58.31
Whenever you see this stone,
remember you made a covenant."
00:26:58.35\00:27:00.28
So, there's different
signs God gives us as memorials
00:27:00.32\00:27:03.95
of these
covenants that are made.
00:27:03.99\00:27:06.15
All right, so you've got
the Joshua renews the covenant,
00:27:06.19\00:27:09.02
fifth covenant, Phinehas.
00:27:09.06\00:27:11.53
God makes a covenant
with him and his house
00:27:11.56\00:27:14.10
because of his zeal for God.
00:27:14.13\00:27:16.73
The six covenant is a
covenant God makes with David.
00:27:16.77\00:27:20.10
He said that, "If you'll
be faithful to follow Me that
00:27:20.14\00:27:22.44
through your descendants, I
will raise up a king after you
00:27:22.47\00:27:26.44
and he will build me a
house that will last forever,
00:27:26.47\00:27:28.98
and there shall not fail
to be one of your descendants
00:27:29.01\00:27:32.61
that will sit on My throne.
00:27:32.65\00:27:34.45
Until ultimately,
the son of David came,
00:27:34.48\00:27:36.92
who will reign
forever and ever."
00:27:36.95\00:27:39.12
So, God literally
kept His promise to David
00:27:39.15\00:27:41.42
that a son of
David would rule forever.
00:27:41.46\00:27:44.36
And so, you got
the Davidic Covenant,
00:27:44.39\00:27:46.86
and the seventh
is the new covenant.
00:27:46.90\00:27:49.53
Now, where do you
find the New Covenant?
00:27:49.56\00:27:53.57
In the Old Testament.
00:27:53.60\00:27:55.77
The New Covenant is
also in the Book of Hebrews,
00:27:55.80\00:27:58.31
but Hebrews is quoting
Jeremiah chapter 31:31.
00:27:58.34\00:28:02.58
That's easy to remember,
like how many days in some
00:28:02.61\00:28:05.18
of the months, 31?
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.18
You got Jeremiah 31:31, it's
where you find the covenant.
00:28:07.22\00:28:10.05
Now, where is the covenant that
God makes with the Gentiles?
00:28:10.09\00:28:17.46
There is no
covenant with Gentiles.
00:28:17.49\00:28:21.53
The only covenant that
saves us is a covenant made--
00:28:21.56\00:28:24.33
"I will make a covenant
after those days, says the Lord,
00:28:24.37\00:28:26.94
with the house of Israel."
00:28:26.97\00:28:29.37
I think one place
he says was with Judah
00:28:29.40\00:28:31.54
and the house of Israel.
00:28:31.57\00:28:33.78
The only covenant God
makes is with the Jews, and we,
00:28:33.81\00:28:35.91
as Christians, are grafted
into the stock of Israel.
00:28:35.94\00:28:39.78
We are partakers of all
the fatness and sweetness
00:28:39.81\00:28:42.35
of their covenant
because we're adopted in.
00:28:42.38\00:28:45.22
The Bible says,
"If you are Christ's,
00:28:45.25\00:28:47.39
then you are Abraham's seed."
00:28:47.42\00:28:49.29
So, when you read all the
promises God made to Abraham,
00:28:49.32\00:28:51.49
they belong to you.
00:28:51.53\00:28:53.50
He doesn't make a separate
covenant with the Gentiles.
00:28:53.53\00:28:55.43
The covenant He
makes for the Gentiles
00:28:55.46\00:28:57.43
is that you will flow
to the house of the Lord.
00:28:57.47\00:28:59.43
And so, they come.
00:28:59.47\00:29:01.47
Says, "I'll bring them
from the east and the west,
00:29:01.50\00:29:03.51
and they will sit down
in the kingdom with Abraham,
00:29:03.54\00:29:05.54
Isaac, and
Jacob," isn't that right?
00:29:05.57\00:29:07.44
So, the covenant with the
Gentiles is that they would be
00:29:07.48\00:29:09.88
receiving all the promises
God made to the Hebrews.
00:29:09.91\00:29:14.32
And then, and it doesn't
mean God saves you literally
00:29:14.35\00:29:18.22
because you're a Hebrew.
00:29:18.25\00:29:20.62
Are there
conditional terms to a covenant?
00:29:20.66\00:29:24.26
So, there's a lot of contracts
that you sign, and the contract
00:29:24.29\00:29:28.13
has all kinds of promises, but
there's usually some fine print
00:29:28.16\00:29:30.80
that says, "If any part
of this document is violated,
00:29:30.83\00:29:35.00
it is null and void, the
whole thing doesn't apply.
00:29:35.04\00:29:42.81
So, keep that in mind.
00:29:42.84\00:29:45.88
I want to read something to you.
00:29:45.91\00:29:47.75
We're talking a little bit,
we're already into the section
00:29:47.78\00:29:49.98
talking about the
structure of a covenant.
00:29:50.02\00:29:51.99
And here the author of
the lesson explains that
00:29:52.02\00:29:55.16
Deuteronomy, which is
really if you read the Book
00:29:55.19\00:29:57.63
of Deuteronomy, it was
all delivered in one sermon.
00:29:57.66\00:30:01.26
I don't know how long it
takes to read 32 chapters or so
00:30:01.30\00:30:04.93
you're going to find
there, but it, a couple hours.
00:30:04.97\00:30:12.31
It's the last sermon of
Moses, where Deuteronomy means
00:30:12.34\00:30:15.61
the repeating of the law.
00:30:15.64\00:30:17.71
He's basically reviewing before
he dies, he gives this message.
00:30:17.75\00:30:21.68
All three times Jesus
was tempted by the devil,
00:30:21.72\00:30:24.29
He quotes from Scripture.
00:30:24.32\00:30:26.49
What book did He quote from?
00:30:26.52\00:30:28.52
Deuteronomy all three times.
00:30:28.56\00:30:30.66
It's a book that
contains a covenant.
00:30:30.69\00:30:32.73
It's one of my favorite
books in the Old Testament.
00:30:32.76\00:30:34.73
In it you've got the,
the whole book is a covenant,
00:30:34.73\00:30:37.70
talk about a long
covenant or long contract.
00:30:37.73\00:30:41.64
And it basically says
you got the preamble, verses,
00:30:41.67\00:30:47.81
chapters 1 through 5.
00:30:47.84\00:30:50.31
You get the historical prologue,
it kind of gives a history,
00:30:50.35\00:30:53.11
whereas this has happened
and that's up through chapter 4.
00:30:53.15\00:30:56.82
You get the
stipulations of the law.
00:30:56.85\00:30:59.22
That's chapter 4 on through 26.
00:30:59.25\00:31:01.72
Of course, He repeats the
Ten Commandments in chapter 5
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.19
of Deuteronomy.
00:31:04.23\00:31:06.13
Finally gets special provisions.
00:31:06.16\00:31:07.96
There's blessings and curses.
00:31:08.00\00:31:10.00
In the covenant we
just read of Joshua,
00:31:10.03\00:31:11.93
was there a curse pronounced?
00:31:11.97\00:31:14.14
If you violate a contract,
are there consequences?
00:31:14.17\00:31:18.77
Contracts often say, "And if
you don't make your payments,
00:31:18.81\00:31:22.01
the bank has a right
to repossess your car."
00:31:22.04\00:31:24.68
I mean, there's
usually penalties.
00:31:24.71\00:31:27.18
And in the covenant that
God made, there's penalties.
00:31:27.22\00:31:30.99
But something I
want you to notice,
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.02
look here in
Leviticus chapter 7, verse 34.
00:31:33.05\00:31:42.36
"For the wave, breast
and the heave shoulder,"
00:31:42.40\00:31:44.77
he's talking about
parts of the offering.
00:31:44.80\00:31:46.87
"That I've taken from the
children of Israel from all
00:31:46.90\00:31:49.07
their sacrifices and peace
offerings, I've given them unto
00:31:49.10\00:31:51.97
Aaron the priest and unto
his sons by a statute forever."
00:31:52.01\00:31:56.14
Now, there are 22 times you're
going to find in the Bible says,
00:31:56.18\00:32:00.65
"a statute
forever," a statute forever.
00:32:00.68\00:32:03.89
Now, this is very important.
00:32:03.92\00:32:05.89
Are you all with me?
00:32:05.92\00:32:07.92
Have you met people
before that say you need to keep
00:32:07.96\00:32:09.79
the Jewish feasts?
00:32:09.82\00:32:11.76
Because it says
it's a statute forever.
00:32:11.79\00:32:14.83
It is a statute
forever based on that covenant.
00:32:14.86\00:32:18.43
But was that covenant broken?
00:32:18.47\00:32:21.54
Do you know the
Bible says circumcision
00:32:21.57\00:32:23.71
is a statute forever?
00:32:23.74\00:32:25.67
It's an everlasting
covenant that God made,
00:32:25.71\00:32:28.88
but isn't Paul pretty clear?
00:32:28.91\00:32:31.65
He says in 1 Corinthians
7:19, circumcision is nothing,
00:32:31.68\00:32:36.28
an uncircumcision is nothing.
00:32:36.32\00:32:38.35
If you read the Book of
Galatians where he talks about
00:32:38.39\00:32:40.49
the law, never meant for
the Sabbath in Galatians.
00:32:40.52\00:32:42.86
People use Galatians to
try it and say you don't need
00:32:42.89\00:32:44.93
to keep the Sabbath.
00:32:44.96\00:32:47.03
The big issue mission mentioned
in Galatians is these legalistic
00:32:47.03\00:32:50.53
Jews were coming and
telling the new converts
00:32:50.57\00:32:52.93
you need to keep circumcision.
00:32:52.97\00:32:56.24
They were already
keeping the Sabbath.
00:32:56.27\00:32:58.74
And so, but it calls it
an everlasting covenant.
00:32:58.77\00:33:03.04
So, how can it
say it's everlasting,
00:33:03.08\00:33:05.58
and yet it says it
doesn't matter anymore?
00:33:05.61\00:33:09.45
It's sort of optional.
00:33:09.48\00:33:12.05
But what about, what happens to
a contract when it's violated?
00:33:12.09\00:33:17.86
And by the way,
here's Genesis 17:13.
00:33:17.89\00:33:20.86
"He who is born in
your house, he who is bought
00:33:20.90\00:33:23.30
with your money,
must be circumcised.
00:33:23.33\00:33:25.37
And My covenant
shall be in your flesh
00:33:25.40\00:33:27.37
for an everlasting covenant."
00:33:27.40\00:33:29.30
You know what I
think is the key?
00:33:29.34\00:33:31.11
Go with me to Hebrews,
we're talking about covenants.
00:33:31.14\00:33:33.41
Go to Hebrews, chapter 8,
"For if the first covenant--"
00:33:33.44\00:33:41.48
I'm sorry, chapter 8, verse 7.
00:33:41.52\00:33:44.09
"For if that first covenant had
been faultless, then no place
00:33:44.12\00:33:48.92
would have been
sought for a second."
00:33:48.96\00:33:51.16
All right, when you
get a second covenant,
00:33:51.19\00:33:55.06
what happens to the first one?
00:33:55.10\00:33:58.47
You know, in our building
process for the church and the
00:33:58.50\00:34:02.70
office, you deal with a
lot of contractors and you have
00:34:02.74\00:34:06.27
agreements you make
with the contractors.
00:34:06.31\00:34:08.28
And sometimes
as time progresses,
00:34:08.31\00:34:10.95
you must revise those agreements
because the building plan
00:34:10.98\00:34:13.65
has changed a little bit.
00:34:13.68\00:34:15.72
And so, whenever we're
going through our contracts
00:34:15.75\00:34:18.12
or covenants with
the contractors, we say,
00:34:18.15\00:34:21.06
"Which version of
the contract is this?"
00:34:21.09\00:34:24.59
And if you're on version
four, version two, and three,
00:34:24.63\00:34:28.83
and one are meaningless.
00:34:28.86\00:34:31.80
You don't say, well, it
says here in version one.
00:34:31.83\00:34:33.87
You say that is cancelled out
because we signed version five.
00:34:33.90\00:34:38.67
And that precludes, it
disqualifies all the other
00:34:38.71\00:34:43.24
versions, otherwise, you've got
all these conflicting contracts
00:34:43.28\00:34:45.95
on the same subject, and
you say which one do you go by?
00:34:45.98\00:34:48.42
You always go by the newest one.
00:34:48.45\00:34:50.12
Well, how is it with a will?
00:34:50.15\00:34:52.05
Isn't a will a contract?
00:34:52.09\00:34:54.36
Which will makes
the most sense in law,
00:34:54.39\00:34:59.03
the first one or the last one?
00:34:59.06\00:35:01.40
It's the last one.
00:35:01.43\00:35:03.40
You know, when
Howard Hughes died,
00:35:03.43\00:35:05.27
someone produced a handwritten
will and gave everything
00:35:05.30\00:35:07.30
to these people.
00:35:07.34\00:35:09.40
And they looked at it and
realized it was a forgery.
00:35:09.44\00:35:13.48
But it was the last one.
00:35:13.51\00:35:15.58
They said, well, you got to
give everything to this family.
00:35:15.61\00:35:17.58
Just out of obscurity,
somehow they produced this will
00:35:17.61\00:35:19.61
of Howard
Hughes, it was a forgery.
00:35:19.65\00:35:22.18
But they said you
always go by the last will.
00:35:22.22\00:35:25.02
And so, if there's a first
covenant, then you say there's
00:35:25.05\00:35:27.86
a second covenant,
which one are we governed by,
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.89
the first or the second?
00:35:29.92\00:35:31.99
The second covenant, okay.
00:35:32.03\00:35:35.10
It says they went into
no place to find a second.
00:35:35.13\00:35:38.50
But finding fault
with them, that's the fault
00:35:38.53\00:35:41.04
with the covenant.
00:35:41.07\00:35:43.20
The covenant's
the Ten Commandments,
00:35:43.24\00:35:44.94
is there a fault in
the Ten Commandments?
00:35:44.97\00:35:46.81
No, the fault is with
one of the covenant makers.
00:35:46.84\00:35:49.84
The nation said, "All
the Lord said, we will do."
00:35:49.88\00:35:52.01
The agreed to the
covenant and they didn't do it.
00:35:52.05\00:35:54.85
Finding fault with them.
00:35:54.88\00:35:56.79
The Lord says,
"Behold, the days are coming.
00:35:56.82\00:35:58.95
I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and
00:35:58.99\00:36:02.19
the house of Judah, not
according to the covenant I made
00:36:02.22\00:36:04.89
with their father."
00:36:04.93\00:36:06.80
So, he said, it's not
according to that covenant.
00:36:06.83\00:36:08.86
So, does God have
two separate covenants
00:36:08.90\00:36:10.57
or just the one now?
00:36:10.60\00:36:12.30
There's one.
00:36:12.33\00:36:14.17
"Not according to that covenant
that I made with the house of
00:36:14.20\00:36:16.10
Israel when I took
their fathers to lead them by
00:36:16.14\00:36:18.67
the hand out of land of Egypt.
00:36:18.71\00:36:20.54
Because they did not continue in
my covenant, I disregarded them.
00:36:20.58\00:36:24.61
It's voided, says the Lord.
00:36:24.65\00:36:27.05
For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house
00:36:27.08\00:36:29.32
of Israel after
those days, says the Lord.
00:36:29.35\00:36:31.35
I will put my
laws in their mind."
00:36:31.39\00:36:33.22
And the law is not a problem.
00:36:33.25\00:36:35.02
Still, the law is
part of that covenant.
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.89
"I will put My laws in their
mind and write them on their
00:36:36.93\00:36:39.43
hearts; and I will be their God,
and they shall be My people.
00:36:39.46\00:36:42.06
None of them shall teach his
neighbor, and none his brother,
00:36:42.10\00:36:44.60
saying, 'Know the
Lord,' for all shall know Me,
00:36:44.63\00:36:46.70
from the least of them
to the greatest of them.
00:36:46.74\00:36:49.10
For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins
00:36:49.14\00:36:51.51
and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more."
00:36:51.54\00:36:54.04
Notice verse 13,
Hebrews chapter 8, verse 13,
00:36:54.08\00:36:57.71
"In that He
says, 'A new covenant,'
00:36:57.75\00:37:00.25
He has made the first obsolete.
00:37:00.28\00:37:04.29
Now what is becoming obsolete
and growing old is ready
00:37:04.32\00:37:06.69
to vanish away."
00:37:06.72\00:37:08.89
If the feast days, keeping
the literal feast days on those
00:37:08.92\00:37:12.63
dates are not obsolete, when the
veil rent in the temple showing
00:37:12.66\00:37:17.77
that the whole purpose for
the sacrificial system had been
00:37:17.80\00:37:20.47
fulfilled in Jesus,
then what was made obsolete?
00:37:20.50\00:37:24.07
Do we still need
to sacrifice lambs?
00:37:24.11\00:37:26.84
No, obviously
something radical changed.
00:37:26.88\00:37:29.64
Now, are there still spiritual
things we learn from the feasts?
00:37:29.68\00:37:33.75
In the plan of
salvation, we learn about Jesus.
00:37:33.78\00:37:36.22
There's wonderful things
to learn, but you can learn
00:37:36.25\00:37:40.12
spiritual things about what was
the meaning of circumcision, and
00:37:40.16\00:37:43.83
living by the Spirit and not by
the flesh, and the promised seed
00:37:43.86\00:37:46.80
would come through Abraham.
00:37:46.83\00:37:48.66
There's wonderful things to
learn, but the Bible says you're
00:37:48.70\00:37:51.70
going backwards if
you're telling people you have
00:37:51.73\00:37:53.57
to keep those things.
00:37:53.60\00:37:55.60
So, a covenant can be notified
also by, not only the violation
00:37:55.64\00:38:01.81
of the covenant,
marriage is a covenant.
00:38:01.84\00:38:04.31
Does Jesus say there's grounds
to tear up that agreement?
00:38:04.35\00:38:08.58
It's very, very restricted.
00:38:08.62\00:38:11.59
Jesus said you cannot
get divorced for any reason.
00:38:11.62\00:38:15.06
By the time of Christ, they had
laws and said that if your wife
00:38:15.09\00:38:18.56
put too much salt in the
soup, you could divorce her.
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.76
I mean, there's all
kinds of reasons to divorce.
00:38:21.80\00:38:27.07
But Jesus said
that was not God's plan.
00:38:27.10\00:38:30.51
He said, "What God
has joined together,
00:38:30.54\00:38:32.77
let not man put asunder."
00:38:32.81\00:38:35.31
And He made it very
clear, saving for the cause
00:38:35.34\00:38:37.88
of fornication.
00:38:37.91\00:38:40.22
Now, that would mean
when two people get married,
00:38:40.25\00:38:44.85
and I've done a lot of
weddings and you see them
00:38:44.89\00:38:47.12
and they're full
of hope and promise.
00:38:47.16\00:38:49.12
And you'll say to the guy,
"Are you willing to forsake
00:38:49.16\00:38:51.56
all others and keep
yourself only unto her?
00:38:51.59\00:38:54.96
Are you willing to
forsake all of others
00:38:55.00\00:38:56.83
and keep yourself only unto him?
00:38:56.87\00:38:58.70
"Yes," that's a covenant.
00:38:58.73\00:39:01.57
Now, one of them
breaks the covenant,
00:39:01.60\00:39:05.24
then they have
grounds for divorce, right?
00:39:05.27\00:39:09.11
That doesn't mean that
you have an argument and yell.
00:39:09.14\00:39:13.92
"She hurt my feelings,
I'm going to divorce her."
00:39:13.95\00:39:16.95
So, you know, there's all kinds
of petty things that people try
00:39:16.99\00:39:20.16
to use and they say,
"I've been emotionally abused."
00:39:20.19\00:39:23.89
Now, I'm not saying these
things aren't serious, they are,
00:39:23.93\00:39:26.06
don't misunderstand.
00:39:26.09\00:39:28.13
But I think you got to be
very careful about not widening
00:39:28.16\00:39:32.20
the loophole in the covenant.
00:39:32.23\00:39:34.47
It's supposed to be a solid--
if covenants don't matter,
00:39:34.50\00:39:37.71
if organization doesn't matter,
if you don't follow the rules,
00:39:37.74\00:39:40.78
pretty soon it
becomes irrelevant.
00:39:40.81\00:39:43.01
So, you got to be a
little strict about some
00:39:43.04\00:39:44.91
of these things.
00:39:44.95\00:39:46.85
Now, you look in Romans chapter
7, verse 2 and it says here,
00:39:46.88\00:39:50.59
"For a woman who has a husband
is bound by the law to her
00:39:50.62\00:39:54.12
husband as long as he
lives," because they're living
00:39:54.16\00:39:56.29
under a covenant.
00:39:56.32\00:39:58.56
Hopefully, it's a good marriage.
00:39:58.59\00:40:00.50
"But if the husband dies,
she is released from the law
00:40:00.53\00:40:03.23
of her husband.
00:40:03.26\00:40:05.20
So then if while her husband
lives she marries another man,
00:40:05.23\00:40:08.17
she will be
called an adulteress.
00:40:08.20\00:40:10.44
But if her husband dies, she
is free from the law so that she
00:40:10.47\00:40:13.88
is no adulteress, though
she has married another man."
00:40:13.91\00:40:17.65
And so, this is another thing is
sometimes covenants only enforce
00:40:17.68\00:40:22.45
while the person that the
covenant is related to is alive,
00:40:22.48\00:40:25.22
otherwise and it's nullified.
00:40:25.25\00:40:27.79
So, now we go into the section
of pledges they're making.
00:40:27.82\00:40:34.36
If you look in, go
back to Nehemiah chapter 10.
00:40:34.40\00:40:38.53
And I told you,
you've got nothing but names
00:40:38.57\00:40:41.90
for the first 27 verses.
00:40:41.94\00:40:44.54
So, it's about half of the
chapter is the names of those
00:40:44.57\00:40:47.38
who signed the covenant.
00:40:47.41\00:40:50.15
And when you get down to the
pledges, you look, for instance,
00:40:50.18\00:40:54.72
in Nehemiah chapter
10, verse 30 it says,
00:40:54.75\00:40:58.09
"We would not give our
daughters as wives to the people
00:40:58.12\00:41:01.02
of the land, nor take
their daughters for our sons.
00:41:01.06\00:41:04.69
If the people of the land--"
00:41:04.73\00:41:06.49
Can I just pause?
00:41:06.53\00:41:09.10
This is written
with the understanding
00:41:09.13\00:41:11.63
that the sons and daughters
00:41:11.67\00:41:13.67
could not get married
without parental consent.
00:41:13.70\00:41:18.17
That day is kind of
passed in our culture.
00:41:18.21\00:41:22.14
Very rarely do you have
parents arrange weddings
00:41:22.18\00:41:27.02
in North America.
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.18
Every now and then,
I'll meet people who come
00:41:29.22\00:41:31.29
from some other country.
00:41:31.32\00:41:33.22
I've known a few from
India where they still,
00:41:33.25\00:41:35.56
parents have to
sign off on marriages.
00:41:35.59\00:41:37.96
It's very steep, but they've
kind of broken away from that.
00:41:37.99\00:41:41.76
And even people that
live in Indian communities
00:41:41.80\00:41:44.90
in North America, boy,
even some Korean communities
00:41:44.93\00:41:49.34
if you don't marry another
Korean, I have Korean people
00:41:49.37\00:41:51.81
tell me this.
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.71
The families go,
"What are you doing?"
00:41:53.74\00:41:55.84
You know, they want to
be, you've got to be approved.
00:41:55.88\00:41:57.88
My parents, my grandparents
were upset that I married
00:41:57.91\00:42:00.15
a non-Jewish Girl,
parental involvement.
00:42:00.18\00:42:05.75
When Abraham went to find a wife
for Isaac, did he say to Isaac,
00:42:05.79\00:42:09.42
"Can you get online and tell
me what you're looking for?"
00:42:09.46\00:42:13.40
No, he didn't
consult Isaac at all.
00:42:13.43\00:42:17.03
Matter of fact, he
sent his servant out.
00:42:17.07\00:42:19.43
And you went what was the
main criteria Abraham wanted
00:42:19.47\00:42:21.77
in a wife for Isaac?
00:42:21.80\00:42:23.77
"She has to be a
worshiper of Jehovah.
00:42:23.81\00:42:25.97
Get her from our family
that still worships Jehovah
00:42:26.01\00:42:28.81
back in Heron."
00:42:28.84\00:42:30.98
And so, that was very important.
00:42:31.01\00:42:32.85
So, they're assuming here, that
the parents are still involved
00:42:32.88\00:42:36.62
in helping the children decide
who they're getting married.
00:42:36.65\00:42:39.05
Did you catch that?
00:42:39.09\00:42:42.22
And they said, "We would not
give our daughters as wives."
00:42:42.26\00:42:45.76
You know, when I do a wedding,
they don't do it all the time,
00:42:45.79\00:42:49.70
but it's kind of a holdover.
00:42:49.73\00:42:52.10
I'll say, "Who gives
this woman to this man?"
00:42:52.13\00:42:56.30
That point the father, if
they have a father, it might be
00:42:56.34\00:42:58.71
an uncle or someone,
will stand up and say, "I do."
00:42:58.74\00:43:01.38
And he then leads
her down to the altar.
00:43:01.41\00:43:03.48
He kind of puts her hand
in the hand of the groom.
00:43:03.51\00:43:05.65
It's kind of like saying, "Look,
I've been watching out for her,
00:43:05.68\00:43:07.68
you're now responsible."
00:43:07.72\00:43:09.88
And how many of you
seen this at a wedding?
00:43:09.92\00:43:12.49
And that's sort of what's
implied there is at one time
00:43:12.52\00:43:16.39
that she was under the
protection and authority of her
00:43:16.42\00:43:20.46
father, and now that's being
transferred to the husband.
00:43:20.50\00:43:24.70
So, this is more than you
asked for in the lesson, I know.
00:43:24.73\00:43:30.91
If the people of the land, now,
it's not only not to intermarry
00:43:30.94\00:43:34.41
with unbelievers, "But if the
people of the land bought wares
00:43:34.44\00:43:38.31
or any grain to sell on the
Sabbath day, we would not buy it
00:43:38.35\00:43:42.42
from them on the Sabbath or
a holy day, and we would forego
00:43:42.45\00:43:46.65
the seven years produce
and exacting every debt."
00:43:46.69\00:43:50.36
Now, this is one of the places--
00:43:50.39\00:43:52.36
you notice in the Mosaic law,
it tells us some particulars
00:43:52.39\00:43:55.20
about Sabbath keeping.
00:43:55.23\00:43:56.93
It was a holy day.
00:43:56.97\00:43:58.80
It was sort of understood
when they were going through
00:43:58.83\00:44:01.10
the wilderness, they would
not be buying and selling on the
00:44:01.14\00:44:03.27
Sabbath because they
were all Sabbath keepers.
00:44:03.30\00:44:05.17
The pagans were not at their
gates in the wilderness trying
00:44:05.21\00:44:07.18
to sell them things.
00:44:07.21\00:44:09.54
But it became more of a problem
and God had to get more specific
00:44:09.58\00:44:13.58
that no, you don't
do buying and selling.
00:44:13.62\00:44:19.15
I think it's not right for
Sabbath keeping Christians,
00:44:19.19\00:44:23.63
not only to go shopping,
but I don't think you ought
00:44:23.66\00:44:25.79
to be eating out.
00:44:25.83\00:44:28.30
I believe that, why
would you pay or buy your food?
00:44:28.33\00:44:32.73
I mean, can't
you prepare at home?
00:44:32.77\00:44:35.20
There are rare occasions
missionaries are traveling
00:44:35.24\00:44:37.44
because you're going overseas,
you're on a boat or something,
00:44:37.47\00:44:40.38
and the only way you're in
an airport that you can eat
00:44:40.41\00:44:44.05
is to do that.
00:44:44.08\00:44:45.91
I don't want to be too dogmatic
and say it's a sin if you ever
00:44:45.95\00:44:47.78
have to do it because of
some extenuating circumstances.
00:44:47.82\00:44:51.02
But when Christians say,
"Oh, let's all go out to this
00:44:51.05\00:44:54.46
restaurant on Sabbath and hire
other people to cook our food
00:44:54.49\00:44:57.39
for us," because you don't
want to do it yourself, prepare,
00:44:57.43\00:45:00.60
the Bible says you
shouldn't be buying and selling.
00:45:00.63\00:45:03.73
It says bake what you're going
to bake, seed what you're going
00:45:03.77\00:45:07.17
to see on the preparation day.
00:45:07.20\00:45:09.57
Isn't that what the law says?
00:45:09.60\00:45:11.67
You know, prepare.
00:45:11.71\00:45:13.58
So, it's called
the preparation day.
00:45:13.61\00:45:15.81
So, but Nehemiah also reminded
them you shouldn't be buying
00:45:15.84\00:45:18.28
and selling on that day as well.
00:45:18.31\00:45:22.68
And if you look, for
instance, Nehemiah 13.
00:45:22.72\00:45:24.79
I'm jumping ahead.
00:45:24.82\00:45:26.49
I'll cover this again later.
00:45:26.52\00:45:28.16
I don't know who's teaching
this lesson, it might be me.
00:45:28.19\00:45:29.92
In Nehemiah 13, "In those days
I saw people in Judah treading
00:45:29.96\00:45:33.63
winepresses on the Sabbath,"
so they weren't just buying,
00:45:33.66\00:45:37.07
they were harvesting grapes.
00:45:37.10\00:45:39.77
They're stomping out
their winepresses on Sabbath.
00:45:39.80\00:45:42.30
"Bringing in sheaves, and
loading donkeys with wine,
00:45:42.34\00:45:45.17
grapes, figs, and
all kinds of burdens,
00:45:45.21\00:45:47.18
which they brought into
Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.
00:45:47.21\00:45:49.64
And I warned them about the
day," first he gave a warning,
00:45:49.68\00:45:52.38
"on which they
were selling provisions.
00:45:52.41\00:45:54.28
Men of Tyre--"
00:45:54.32\00:45:56.38
These are not, it's the
Phoenicians, but not Jews.
00:45:56.42\00:46:00.59
"Men of Tyre dwelt there also,
who brought in fish and all
00:46:00.62\00:46:02.92
kinds of goods, and sold them
on the Sabbath to the children
00:46:02.96\00:46:05.09
of Judah, and in Jerusalem."
00:46:05.13\00:46:06.96
Evidently, they're buying it.
00:46:07.00\00:46:08.83
"Then I contended with
the nobles of Judah, I said,
00:46:08.86\00:46:10.83
'What evil thing
is this that you do,
00:46:10.87\00:46:13.30
in which you
profane the Sabbath?"
00:46:13.34\00:46:15.87
It's the commandment of God,
they were to keep the day holy.
00:46:15.90\00:46:18.64
And one of the ways you
show it's holy is you don't do
00:46:18.67\00:46:21.18
your regular business, amen?
00:46:21.21\00:46:23.58
And then he said,
another part of this covenant,
00:46:23.61\00:46:27.12
it said that they were going
to respect the annual Sabbath,
00:46:27.15\00:46:31.09
that we would forego
the seven years produce.
00:46:31.12\00:46:33.72
Now, this was a hard
one for them to keep.
00:46:33.76\00:46:37.09
That meant they were to
farm their land six years.
00:46:37.13\00:46:40.26
Let me read it to you Leviticus
25, "Six years you shall sow
00:46:40.30\00:46:43.43
your field, and six years
you shall prune your vineyard,
00:46:43.47\00:46:46.27
and gather its fruit; but in
the seventh year there shall be
00:46:46.30\00:46:50.04
a sabbath of solemn rest for
the land, a sabbath to the Lord.
00:46:50.07\00:46:53.71
You shall neither sow your
field nor prune your vineyard.
00:46:53.74\00:46:56.88
What grows of its own accord of
your harvest you shall not reap,
00:46:56.91\00:47:00.38
nor gather the grapes
of your untended vine,
00:47:00.42\00:47:04.39
for it is a year
of rest for the land.
00:47:04.42\00:47:06.96
And the sabbath produce of
the land shall be food for you:
00:47:06.99\00:47:09.62
for you, your male
and female servants."
00:47:09.66\00:47:12.06
Whatever came up, volunteer.
00:47:12.09\00:47:14.03
"your hired man, and the
stranger who dwells with you,
00:47:14.10\00:47:16.30
for your livestock and the
beasts that are in your land--
00:47:16.33\00:47:18.63
all its produce
shall be for food."
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.74
Why did God say that?
00:47:20.77\00:47:23.00
You know, I remember reading
a book when I was a kid about
00:47:23.04\00:47:25.71
George Washington Carver
and how in many ways he saved
00:47:25.74\00:47:29.61
the South, because they
had farmed their land growing
00:47:29.64\00:47:33.78
cotton, and cotton draws a
lot of nitrogen out of the soil.
00:47:33.82\00:47:36.62
And they had so
over-farmed it with cotton,
00:47:36.65\00:47:39.02
nothing would grow there.
00:47:39.05\00:47:40.69
And Carver, who was a genius in
botany and agriculture, he said
00:47:40.72\00:47:44.83
peanuts put
nitrogen back into the soil
00:47:44.86\00:47:47.50
You need to grow peanuts.
00:47:47.50\00:47:49.33
And it took a while
for him to convince.
00:47:49.36\00:47:51.17
And he demonstrated that if
he would, first of all, you can,
00:47:51.20\00:47:54.17
one way you can help return the
nitrogen is you leave the land
00:47:54.20\00:47:57.44
fallow, leave it alone for a
year, the weeds and stuff grow,
00:47:57.47\00:48:00.81
it decomposes, it
puts nitrogen back in.
00:48:00.84\00:48:03.28
But they wanted to make money.
00:48:03.31\00:48:05.11
They kept farming, farming,
farming until they bleached
00:48:05.15\00:48:07.22
the land and it
wouldn't produce.
00:48:07.25\00:48:09.38
And George
Washington Carver said, "Well,
00:48:09.42\00:48:10.72
if you grow peanuts, it'll
put something back in the land.
00:48:10.75\00:48:12.79
But the Bible
doesn't talk about peanuts,
00:48:12.82\00:48:14.99
as much as I like peanut butter.
00:48:15.02\00:48:16.79
It says you're to
let the land rest.
00:48:16.83\00:48:18.59
They did not do it.
00:48:18.63\00:48:20.40
Do you know this is one of the
only times in all the history
00:48:20.43\00:48:23.37
from the exodus where it
talks about the annual Sabbath,
00:48:23.40\00:48:27.14
or the seven-year Sabbath.
00:48:27.17\00:48:29.07
They neglected
it many, many years.
00:48:29.10\00:48:31.34
In fact, because of their
neglect, notice the last words
00:48:31.37\00:48:35.74
in 2 Chronicles, this is after
they'd been conquered by the
00:48:35.78\00:48:38.98
Babylonians and the Assyrians.
00:48:39.01\00:48:41.75
Look in 2 Chronicles 36, "And
those who escaped from the sword
00:48:41.78\00:48:46.55
he carried away to Babylon,
where they became servants to
00:48:46.59\00:48:49.56
him and his sons until the
rule of the kingdom of Persia
00:48:49.59\00:48:53.40
to fulfill the word of the
Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.
00:48:53.43\00:48:56.43
Until the land had enjoyed
her Sabbaths as long as she laid
00:48:56.46\00:49:01.07
desolate, she kept
Sabbath to fulfill 70 years."
00:49:01.10\00:49:04.04
Now, why did God say
they'd be there 70 years?
00:49:04.07\00:49:07.08
Because He was making them keep
490 years of neglected Sabbaths.
00:49:07.11\00:49:11.25
He said, "If you're not
going to let the land rest,
00:49:11.28\00:49:12.71
I'm going to let
it rest for 70 years."
00:49:12.75\00:49:16.72
So, was the fallow
Sabbath important to God?
00:49:16.75\00:49:22.56
It was.
00:49:22.59\00:49:24.43
So, this was all part
of the covenant that they
00:49:24.46\00:49:26.23
were renewing to the Lord.
00:49:26.26\00:49:28.13
And then the final one,
of course, is in the temple,
00:49:28.16\00:49:30.03
they wanted to make sure
they had part of the covenant
00:49:30.07\00:49:32.03
to provide the tithes
and to pay for the wood.
00:49:32.07\00:49:35.67
They had people that would
be assigned to collect wood
00:49:35.70\00:49:39.04
for burning the sanctuary, tithe
for the oil, for the Levites,
00:49:39.07\00:49:43.31
and that they'd be
able to continue sustaining
00:49:43.35\00:49:46.21
this temple they just built.
00:49:46.25\00:49:47.95
What good is it if
you don't fund it, right?
00:49:47.98\00:49:50.52
And so, they had that covenant.
00:49:50.55\00:49:52.59
Well, I think we covered
most of our lesson today.
00:49:52.62\00:49:54.96
I want to thank you
for joining us, friends.
00:49:54.99\00:49:56.56
I want to remind you we
have a free offer called
00:49:56.59\00:49:58.86
"Hidden Eyes And Closed Ears."
00:49:58.89\00:50:01.00
You can find out right there on
the screen how you can receive
00:50:01.03\00:50:03.77
that via text,
or you can call...
00:50:03.80\00:50:09.44
and you can
request Offer Number 726.
00:50:09.47\00:50:12.11
That's...
00:50:12.14\00:50:14.54
God bless you.
00:50:14.58\00:50:16.44
We look forward to studying His
Word with you again next week.
00:50:16.48\00:50:19.51
male announcer: Don't
forget to request today's
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.85
life-changing free resource.
00:50:21.88\00:50:23.92
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:50:23.95\00:50:25.72
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:50:25.75\00:50:27.89
or mobile device.
00:50:27.92\00:50:29.76
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:50:29.79\00:50:32.06
simply text the
keyword on your screen
00:50:32.09\00:50:33.96
to 40544 or visit
the web address shown
00:50:34.00\00:50:37.60
on your screen.
00:50:37.63\00:50:39.70
And be sure to select
the digital download option
00:50:39.73\00:50:41.54
on the request page.
00:50:41.57\00:50:43.51
It's now easier than ever
for you to study God's Word
00:50:43.54\00:50:45.64
with Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
00:50:45.67\00:50:48.64
And most important,
to share it with others.
00:50:48.68\00:50:53.05
¤¤¤
00:50:53.08\00:51:02.56
Doug Batchelor:
Friends, we're out here
00:51:02.59\00:51:04.56
in the Pacific Ocean, not
too far from the island of Fiji
00:51:04.59\00:51:06.80
and we're getting ready to look
at some wonders in the deep.
00:51:06.83\00:51:11.03
The Bible says God made the
heaven, the earth, and the sea.
00:51:11.07\00:51:14.07
And there are things
under the sea that are beautiful
00:51:14.10\00:51:16.17
that many
people have never seen.
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.11
Some folks might just skim
along, snorkel on the surface.
00:51:18.14\00:51:21.04
But if you want to see
the real majesty of the ocean,
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.81
you've gotta go deeper.
00:51:23.85\00:51:26.55
¤¤¤
00:51:26.58\00:51:36.56
¤¤¤
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.33
Doug: Because people don't
have gills like fish, we have to
00:51:39.36\00:51:41.93
do something extraordinary
to be able to breathe
00:51:41.96\00:51:44.43
below the surface.
00:51:44.47\00:51:46.43
And because you have
to breathe all the time,
00:51:46.47\00:51:48.54
we need this special equipment.
00:51:48.57\00:51:52.41
In the same way, the
Bible says a Christian needs
00:51:52.44\00:51:54.91
to pray without ceasing.
00:51:54.94\00:51:56.98
We need to always be breathing
the atmosphere of heaven
00:51:57.01\00:51:59.58
if we're going to
live a Christian life
00:51:59.61\00:52:01.42
in this world below.
00:52:01.45\00:52:04.22
¤¤¤
00:52:04.25\00:52:14.20
¤¤¤
00:52:14.23\00:52:24.21
¤¤¤
00:52:24.24\00:52:29.04
Doug: Wow, what
a wonderful world.
00:52:29.08\00:52:32.75
¤¤¤
00:52:32.78\00:52:38.62
announcer: Amazing
Facts, changed lives.
00:52:42.42\00:52:48.33
male: My greatest wish is
that my children will see me
00:52:51.27\00:52:56.57
the way I see my own father.
00:52:56.60\00:53:02.61
He's a very devoted man and
that kind of framed my childhood
00:53:02.64\00:53:06.88
going forward from there
where I was always involved
00:53:06.92\00:53:10.62
in church work.
00:53:10.65\00:53:12.89
And I had a very rich experience
with the Lord at a young age,
00:53:12.92\00:53:18.93
all the way up through college.
00:53:18.96\00:53:21.16
Then after I got married, I
got in a company called Comcast,
00:53:21.20\00:53:25.83
and I spent the
past roughly 8 1/2 years,
00:53:25.87\00:53:29.77
9 years at Comcast.
00:53:29.80\00:53:32.67
And I was actually
watching television with my son,
00:53:32.71\00:53:36.24
and a Comcast
commercial came on the air.
00:53:36.28\00:53:40.38
And he said, "Oh,
Daddy, that's Comcast.
00:53:40.42\00:53:43.69
That's where you work, Daddy."
00:53:43.72\00:53:46.76
And most fathers would be
proud of something like that,
00:53:46.79\00:53:50.16
but it really struck me
that, you know, my son's getting
00:53:50.19\00:53:53.43
older, and he does not see
me as a servant of the Lord.
00:53:53.46\00:53:57.40
He sees me as a
servant of my company.
00:53:57.43\00:54:00.97
And I knew that I would
have to make some changes
00:54:01.00\00:54:05.31
because I wanted him to
know me as a man of God.
00:54:05.34\00:54:10.51
I never thought I would be a
preacher or anything like that,
00:54:10.55\00:54:13.92
but I knew that there
was room in the work for me
00:54:13.95\00:54:18.05
and for my talents.
00:54:18.09\00:54:21.52
And I wanted my son to
see me operating in the work.
00:54:21.56\00:54:26.96
That's when I knew that my
time there was coming to an end.
00:54:28.03\00:54:32.23
I was sitting in
my office one day,
00:54:32.27\00:54:34.47
and I was kneeling in prayer.
00:54:34.50\00:54:36.40
I said, "God, you know,
show me what You want me to do
00:54:36.44\00:54:39.34
because it seems
like a big move here
00:54:39.37\00:54:44.38
and everyone's
thinking I'm crazy.
00:54:44.41\00:54:50.32
And I don't know
exactly how, you know,
00:54:50.35\00:54:55.19
things aren't going to
go, if they don't go well."
00:54:55.22\00:54:59.53
I know the crazy
thought when you're, you know,
00:54:59.56\00:55:01.63
thinking about God.
00:55:01.66\00:55:03.73
And I lifted my head up to
prayer, and just like a flock
00:55:03.77\00:55:09.00
of, I don't maybe 300 birds that
were just flying, and they were
00:55:09.04\00:55:15.98
swooping down over the water,
and they would fly back up,
00:55:16.01\00:55:19.51
and then they would
chase each other around.
00:55:19.55\00:55:22.62
And you know, I was just looking
at the pattern of the giant
00:55:22.65\00:55:24.92
flock and the promise of
the Lord came to me where
00:55:24.95\00:55:29.26
He says that He
takes care of the sparrows,
00:55:29.29\00:55:34.73
and you don't see them worrying
about how they are going to be
00:55:34.73\00:55:38.47
taken care of from day to day.
00:55:38.50\00:55:40.90
They don't, you know,
wring their hands, wondering,
00:55:40.94\00:55:44.17
you know, will there be
any worms to eat tomorrow?
00:55:44.21\00:55:47.31
And that promise
really stood out to me.
00:55:47.34\00:55:51.45
He said, "How
much more do I love?
00:55:51.48\00:55:54.72
You know, I'm not going to send
you on a mission to do My work
00:55:54.75\00:55:59.09
and leave you high and
dry because you claim to be My
00:55:59.12\00:56:02.62
child, you claim to be My
son and everyone knows that."
00:56:02.66\00:56:08.10
That assurance allows me to
know that whatever happens here,
00:56:08.13\00:56:13.54
whatever happens after here,
we're sons of God and there are
00:56:13.57\00:56:19.54
certain things that
we shouldn't worry about.
00:56:19.57\00:56:22.48
From the day we arrived
at AFCO, it's been obvious
00:56:22.51\00:56:28.18
that God has blessed
the Amazing Facts Ministry,
00:56:28.22\00:56:31.55
the AFCO program, and I
will be using my AFCO experience
00:56:31.59\00:56:37.86
no matter where I
go to reach people to
00:56:37.89\00:56:40.70
because the personal touch
00:56:40.73\00:56:43.23
of face-to-face evangelism,
speaking and sharing the Word
00:56:43.26\00:56:48.64
of God out of your own mouth,
there's no replacement for that.
00:56:48.67\00:56:52.97
And Amazing Facts has been very
instrumental in helping me find
00:56:53.01\00:56:59.58
the area of the work of
God, and shown me how large
00:56:59.61\00:57:04.72
and how broad it is.
00:57:04.75\00:57:07.09
It's been a tremendous blessing
to be in a place where we're
00:57:07.12\00:57:10.53
around people seeking to
do God's will and listening
00:57:10.56\00:57:14.40
for His voice in their life.
00:57:14.46\00:57:17.07
And that's very,
very important today.
00:57:17.10\00:57:20.27
announcer: Together,
we have spread the gospel
00:57:26.71\00:57:29.04
much farther than ever before.
00:57:29.08\00:57:31.75
Thank you for your support.
00:57:31.78\00:57:35.48
announcer: Can't get enough
"Amazing Facts Bible study?
00:57:37.75\00:57:40.52
You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy
00:57:40.56\00:57:43.16
more truth-filled programming.
00:57:43.19\00:57:45.59
Watch Amazing Facts
Television by visiting aftv.org.
00:57:45.63\00:57:51.53
At aftv.org, you can
view Amazing Facts programming
00:57:51.57\00:57:55.87
24 hours a day, seven days a
week right from your computer
00:57:55.90\00:57:59.47
or mobile device.
00:57:59.51\00:58:01.58
Why wait a week?
00:58:01.61\00:58:03.55
Visit aftv.org, it's that easy.
00:58:03.58\00:58:07.18
¤¤¤
00:58:08.08\00:58:18.06
¤¤¤
00:58:18.09\00:58:24.87
CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING
1-800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM
00:58:24.90\00:58:29.90